Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Karlo Nograles met International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo and other ILO executives in a luncheon meeting last 26 June 2023 in Ermita, Manila, as part of the labor official's three-day official visit to the country.
CSC joined other government agencies in the meeting, which was aimed at strengthening the collaboration and partnership of the ILO with the Philippines by promoting decent work, social justice, and inclusive growth.
"As the central human resource agency of the Philippine government, the Commission is one with the International Labor Organization in improving employee work conditions, especially in the public sector," Nograles said.
During the event, Nograles was pleased to share CSC's initiatives to promote civil servants' welfare. These include the issuance of Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, s. 2020 with the Department of Health and Department of Labor and Employment, which provides the Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Public Sector; and CSC Memorandum Circular No. 4, s. 2020, which contains the Guidelines on the Development of Mental Health Program in the Public Sector.
Nograles also shared the CSC's role in protecting government workers from the spread of COVID-19 and ensuring public service continuity during the pandemic. These include issuing policies on flexible work arrangements and the use of 'excused absence' or leave credits for absences due to quarantine or treatment, lockdowns, suspension of transportation, or COVID-19 vaccination.
He also talked about the CSC's mandate to protect civil servants' right to organization and ensure harmonious management-employee relations toward achieving a conducive work environment and employee work experience.
Nograles added, "It was my pleasure to also learn from the ILO what they have been doing in the Philippines to promote decent work and social justice. We hope to have more meetings and dialogues in the future so that the CSC can further contribute to this agenda."
As stated on its website, the ILO is the only tripartite U.N. agency. Since 1919, it has brought together governments, employers, and workers of 187 Member States to set labor standards, develop policies, and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
